When it comes to influential business men, Guy Kawasaki is at the top of the list. Co-founder of Alltop.com, author of The Art of Start and all around busy guy (pun intended!), he manages to make time for fatherhood in this fast paced world. In honor of Father's Day, Guy chatted with us about life, work, and what really matters.
You manage Garage, speak all over the world, have written 8 books, blog, twitter, all while being a husband and dad to four children. How do you make time for it all? It’s not clear that I do make time for them all. This is a big challenge for me. One thing is that I’ve learned to say “no” with no guilt and hesitation. I’ve declined opportunities that a few years ago I would have considered “strategic,” and you know what? The sun still rose the next day.
Blogging and the internet in general are always evolving, where do you see yourself and your blog in 5 years? I have no idea exactly what I’d like to be doing in five years. I know what I don’t want to do: Get on an airplane. I am tired of traveling. And I’m tired of blogging, so I doubt that I’ll be blogging five years from now.
What's one thing about you that would surprise people? I don’t consider myself a success as an entrepreneur or a venture capitalist because I have not created or funded a mega hit.
As a dad, what magical invention would you like to get your hands on? There’s no magic to being a dad. It’s just setting priorities and being there. A magical invention that might help, though, is something that would answer email for me.
Your work has taken you all over the world. Where is your favorite place, vacation or otherwise, that you've ever been and why? I’ve been to just about every convention hotel in every big city in the world. My favorite place in the world is to be home. I have a hard and fast rule: I don’t get on airplane unless someone is paying me big money. This may sound shallow and materialistic, but it helps to quickly separate who really wants me from who doesn’t.
If you had an entire day all to yourself, with no work responsibilities to worry about, how would you spend it? I’d play hockey and then take my kids to the beach or Great America.
What is your most treasured belonging? I’m not really attached to most physical things—certainly not cars, paintings, boats, and the usual venture-capitalist detritus. The one thing that would be a big pain to replace is my ice skates because they were custom made by Graf. I would really be bummed if they were lost or stolen.
What are you coveting for Father's Day? I have a wonderful wife and family, so to tell you the truth, every day is like Father’s Day at our house. I am getting tired of driving an old minivan, though. Maybe a nice diesel SUV.
Thanks Guy, for taking the time to chat with us!
You manage Garage, speak all over the world, have written 8 books, blog, twitter, all while being a husband and dad to four children. How do you make time for it all? It’s not clear that I do make time for them all. This is a big challenge for me. One thing is that I’ve learned to say “no” with no guilt and hesitation. I’ve declined opportunities that a few years ago I would have considered “strategic,” and you know what? The sun still rose the next day.
Blogging and the internet in general are always evolving, where do you see yourself and your blog in 5 years? I have no idea exactly what I’d like to be doing in five years. I know what I don’t want to do: Get on an airplane. I am tired of traveling. And I’m tired of blogging, so I doubt that I’ll be blogging five years from now.
What's one thing about you that would surprise people? I don’t consider myself a success as an entrepreneur or a venture capitalist because I have not created or funded a mega hit.
As a dad, what magical invention would you like to get your hands on? There’s no magic to being a dad. It’s just setting priorities and being there. A magical invention that might help, though, is something that would answer email for me.
Your work has taken you all over the world. Where is your favorite place, vacation or otherwise, that you've ever been and why? I’ve been to just about every convention hotel in every big city in the world. My favorite place in the world is to be home. I have a hard and fast rule: I don’t get on airplane unless someone is paying me big money. This may sound shallow and materialistic, but it helps to quickly separate who really wants me from who doesn’t.
If you had an entire day all to yourself, with no work responsibilities to worry about, how would you spend it? I’d play hockey and then take my kids to the beach or Great America.
What is your most treasured belonging? I’m not really attached to most physical things—certainly not cars, paintings, boats, and the usual venture-capitalist detritus. The one thing that would be a big pain to replace is my ice skates because they were custom made by Graf. I would really be bummed if they were lost or stolen.
What are you coveting for Father's Day? I have a wonderful wife and family, so to tell you the truth, every day is like Father’s Day at our house. I am getting tired of driving an old minivan, though. Maybe a nice diesel SUV.
Thanks Guy, for taking the time to chat with us!
